CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
Netscape 7.0
Version 5.0 Mizolla
Mizolla Netscape v 5.0 Delayed Using Open Source Poor Project Manage
Management Standards Ignored for Contemporaneous Documentation Fails
KM Dilemma People Want Tools Make Bad Management Successful, Not Too
Bad Management Cheaper than Good Management in the Moment Failure Co
Fools Gold Bad Management Attractive Fast Easy of Conscious Response
Do Something Even if Wrong Relieve Frustration Inactivity Feel Good
Dilemma Want Bad Management to be Successful, Rather than Technology
Programmers Ignore Industry Work Practices to Save Time
Documentation Avoided, Causes Delay, Extra Cost
Documentation Not Started Until Project Nearly Complete
Open Source Project Management Conflicting Do What You Want Even in
Linux Example Case Study Failed Open Source Management
Termite Design Open Source Rejects Management Interference
Open Source Empowered Do Something Even If Wrong
Open Source Development Requires Good Management Practices
Problems Occurring Due to Poor Management Practices
Knowledge is Power from Connections Cause and Effect Over Time from
Project Management Planning
Project Management Conflicts Open Source Development
Open Source Evaluation Business Model Marketing Revenue Stream Revie
Study Needed Demonstrate Open Source Best Strategy, 000601
Feel Good Management Empowerment Do What We Want Open Source
Example Meetings Waste Time Upproductive Nobody Prepared

3927 -
3927 -    ..
3928 - Summary/Objective
3929 -
392901 - Follow up ref SDS 71 TX7J.
392902 -
392903 - Article today on open source software explains good practices for all
392904 - projects that are endemic to SDS architecture. These practices have
392905 - been reviewed repeatedly over the years, showing consistent use in
392906 - daily work is not possible without technology that enables people to
392907 - keep up with the faster pace of information.  This difficulty makes KM
392908 - a secret, because people never gain experience needed to understand
392909 - the meaning of knowledge in a way that enables technology to help.
392911 -  ..
392912 - Submitted ref DIT 1 0001 commenting on article about project
392913 - management on Linux deveopment.
392914 -
392915 -     [On 001102 requested partners and ideas to solve KM innovation
392916 -     loop. ref SDS 72 0001
392917 -
392918 -     [On 001106 VA Linux shares plunge over 40%. ref SDS 73 0001
392919 -
392921 -  ..
3930 -
3931 -
3932 - Progress
3933 -
393301 - Received ref DRT 1 0001 from Jack Park providing a reference to an
393302 - article published by Linux News yesterday on difficulties Linux
393303 - encountered, doing open source software development, ref OF 6 0001, as
393304 - a result of not using sound management practices...
393305 -
393307 -       ..
393308 -      http://news.linuxprogramming.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2000-10-31-001-05-CD
393309 -
393311 -  ..
393312 - Linux Internet.com published the article written by Monty R. Manley,
393313 - who has other articles which can be accessed in the article.
393314 -
393315 -     [On 001106 VA Linux shares plunge over 40%. ref SDS 73 0001
393317 -  ..
393318 - The article sets out sound management practice which differ from the
393319 - Termite production methods proposed on 000831, ref SDS 52 0001, and
393320 - practices proposed on 001012. ref SDS 61 B4P2
393322 -  ..
393323 - Recommendations in this article reflect prior sources...
393324 -
393325 -      910418 article on KM requirements. ref SDS 2 2744
393326 -      921021 Cal Tech seminar on PM. ref SDS 3 6849
393327 -      921205 Covey 7 Habits of KM. ref SDS 4 4080 and ref SDS 4 2552
393328 -      940219 Cal Tech Book on PM. ref SDS 7 4884
393329 -      950428 seminar on IT projects. ref SDS 11 0440
393330 -      950710 book, The Trouble with Computers, ref SDS 13 4791,
393331 -      950721 ISO and PMBOK review of PM. ref SDS 14 0001
393332 -      951212 PM Journal article. ref SDS 17 4433
393333 -      951221 article on software engineering. ref SDS 18 5988
393334 -      970829 book, Managing for Accountability. ref SDS 21 6666
393335 -
393336 -
393338 -    ..
393339 -   Requirements and Design...
393340 -
393341 -      The biggest impact on project success occurs at the beginning by
393342 -      adopting sound management practice. ref OF 6 TR6O
393343 -
393344 -      Engineers want to write code not requirements, ref OF 6 CG4M, and
393345 -      people don't like documentation, ref OF 6 YA3F, but, requirements
393346 -      and documentation are critical to success. ref OF 6 YA3F
393348 -          ..
393349 -         Aligns with report on 951024 that nobody is complying with
393350 -         project management requirements published by ISO and PMBOK to
393351 -         capture organizational memory, ref SDS 16 3245; individuals
393352 -         and organizations simply ignore industry standards to document
393353 -         accuracy showing an audit trail that maintains a record of
393354 -         traceability to original sources set out on 950721.
393355 -         ref SDS 14 1740  Later, on 990524 engineers only like to write
393356 -         code, and are pushed by managers and marketing to "expedite,"
393357 -         ref SDS 23 6892, and again on 990525. ref SDS 24 0966  Failure
393358 -         to prepare contemperaneous documentation conflicts with
393359 -         industry standards reported on 951221 citing article in Byte,
393360 -         a professional journal. ref SDS 18 0966
393361 -
393362 -            [On 001207 recession caused by declining productivity,
393363 -            earnings, stock proces because too many people having too
393364 -            many problems using poor managment practices doing whatever
393365 -            they want. ref SDS 74 V54M
393367 -             ..
393368 -            [On 020504 study shows professional standards for
393369 -            communication practices and requirements on good management
393370 -            specified in FAR, ISO, Health Care, Covey, Drucker, law,
393371 -            contract notice provisions, and 2,000 years of literacy for
393372 -            contemporaneous documentation for alignment and feedback to
393373 -            work intelligently, quickly, and accurately are ignored in
393374 -            government, business, health care, every sector.
393375 -            ref SDS 83 NS6F
393377 -             ..
393378 -            [On 051130 Leonardo da Vinci credited for contemporaneous
393379 -            notes to support creativity, invention, and development of
393380 -            new tools and systems. ref SDS 84 PR4F  AIA Architect
393381 -            recommends diligence exercising the habit of document is
393382 -            critical to design and project management. ref SDS 84 G46F
393384 -       ..
393385 -      Requirements must be established at the beginning of the project.
393386 -      ref OF 6 LF5J  Problems, delay and failure occurs when production
393387 -      is started before functions and capabilities are adequately
393388 -      understood. ref OF 6 TR6O
393390 -          ..
393391 -         This aligns with Covey's prescription for good mangement to
393392 -         first "understand, then prescribe." reported on 921205
393393 -         ref SDS 4 2229  Drucker argues "analysis" and "planning" are
393394 -         keys to success, from review on 931130. ref SDS 6 7911
393396 -       ..
393397 -      Article reports....
393399 -       ..
393400 -      Overwhelming tendency is to focus on programming.... [while]
393401 -      design, user requirements, and life-cycle management ignored.
393402 -      ref OF 6 3U7N  Laziness, ignorance, fear and denial prevent using
393403 -      good management, because people can get by for awhile by using
393404 -      bad management, per above, ref SDS 0 MX6H, and by learning good
393405 -      communication skills to avoid accountability for reliance on bad
393406 -      management. see below, ref SDS 0 NG3J
393408 -            ..
393409 -           [On 011106 despair overwhelming tendency for bad management
393410 -           permeates industry. ref SDS 80 O99K
393412 -            ..
393413 -           [On 011222 documentation not started until work nearly
393414 -           completed. ref SDS 81 E77G
393416 -            ..
393417 -           [On 020315 Gary explains SRS prepared after software code is
393418 -           created. ref SDS 82 CP5K
393420 -          ..
393421 -         Productivity in IT sector is declining as IT income increases,
393422 -         reported on 950428. ref SDS 11 3921
393424 -          ..
393425 -         On 990525 engineers just want to do technology, don't feel
393426 -         like doing analysis, and so resist writing the record to
393427 -         support being prepared, ref SDS 24 0966, because they fear the
393428 -         time is wasted because people resist reading the record, to be
393429 -         prepared for working effectively, reported earlier on 960326.
393430 -         ref SDS 20 LO5G
393432 -            ..
393433 -           [On 001102 overwhelming desire of fools gold to use bad
393434 -           management because it seems fast and easy. ref SDS 72 RF7M
393436 -            ..
393437 -           [On 001219 SDS makes it fast and easy to use good management
393438 -           consistently. ref SDS 75 QT6F
393440 -            ..
393441 -           [On 011005 OHS/DKR team exasperated using IT, but there
393442 -           remains overwhelming tendency to retain bad management
393443 -           practices.
393445 -       ..
393446 -      A project's success hinges largely on how it begins. Open-source
393447 -      projects (Mozilla particularly) have been burned by a lack of
393448 -      attention to requirements and design.  Developers must, first and
393449 -      foremost, avoid writing code too soon! ref OF 6 TY9H
393451 -       ..
393452 -      On 000403 Eric Armstrong wondered how Mozilla business model is
393453 -      successful. ref SDS 33 5956  On 000427 Jack cited Mozilla as
393454 -      example to guide development of OHS/DKR. ref SDS 37 1092  On
393455 -      000525 Lee Iverson wanted volunteers to review Mozilla source
393456 -      code on browser applications. ref SDS 42 G34I  On 000615 Eugene
393457 -      Kim reported Mozilla interested in OHS/DKR project; engineer
393458 -      spending a lot of time reviewing Doug Engelbart's papers.
393459 -      ref SDS 46 4868  On 000818 Eugene discusses convincing Mozilla
393460 -      folks to incorporate OHS functionality into Netscape browser.
393461 -      ref SDS 49 R29G
393463 -             ..
393464 -            [On 001219 Com Metrics applies this practice for using SDS
393465 -            to improve management of everything. ref SDS 75 FO5M
393467 -             ..
393468 -            [On 010924 SDS is only technology that enables capturing
393469 -            organizational memory because nobody has discovered that
393470 -            good management used consistently is better for expediting
393471 -            that using bad management that is fast and easy in the
393472 -            moment. ref SDS 78 W63J
393474 -             ..
393475 -            [On 011002 Mozilla abandoned, changed back to Netscape 6.
393476 -            ref SDS 79 NL4L
393478 -          ..
393479 -         Mizolla is Netscape v 5 to replace v 4.7, which we are
393480 -         currently using.
393482 -          ..
393483 -         Aligns with Eric's recommendations on using good management
393484 -         practices submitted 000424. ref SDS 36 P95I
393486 -          ..
393487 -         On 000218 Eric cited Mozilla as an example of providing a free
393488 -         Internet web browser, as the model for the OHS/DKR proejct.
393489 -         ref SDS 29 EN3F
393491 -          ..
393492 -         On 951221 article on IT recommends prototyping to understand
393493 -         requirements before starting to write code. ref SDS 18 FJ6J
393494 -         ..
393495 -         All sectors suffer from lack of front-end investment for
393496 -         planning, per Kissinger on 940609. ref SDS 10 4238  Like
393497 -         programmers, who just want to write code, and carpenters who
393498 -         just want to drive nails, and architects, who just want to
393499 -         draw designs, executives, managers, engineers, marketing
393500 -         folks, all of us, want to jump out and react spontaneously in
393501 -         email and conversation, rather than invest intellectual
393502 -         capital and time to analyse and plan (see for example Fortune
393503 -         article on 990625. ref SDS 25 1024  Lack of planning is
393504 -         chronic in IT, with productivity declining as IT sector
393505 -         prospers, reported on 950428, ref SDS 11 3921, and is
393506 -         compounded in open source development, where people are
393507 -         empowered to do what they want and hope that synergy will
393508 -         produce a useful design, reported on 001012. ref SDS 61 PT5M
393509 -
393510 -            [On 001219 Com Metrics applies this practice for using SDS
393511 -            to improve management of everything. ref SDS 75 FO5M
393512 -
393514 -    ..
393515 -   Projects Require Sound Management Practices
393516 -
393517 -      Author reports feeling among contributors and the public at large
393518 -      that Linux is exempted from using good management, because it is
393519 -      using open source development, is not true, and has led to an
393520 -      increasing spate of problems in Linux and other free OSes.
393521 -      ref OF 6 6S8K
393523 -       ..
393524 -      On 001031 Linux development of OS, which is well understood, was
393525 -      cited as model for Open Source development of KM, that is not
393526 -      understood. ref SDS 70 RH3L
393527 -
393528 -           [On 001106 VA Linux shares plunge over 40%. ref SDS 73 0001
393529 -
393530 -           [On 010111 report open source management on DKR project has
393531 -           delayed progress on Hyperscope. ref SDS 76 0002
393532 -         ..
393533 -         On 921205 explained consistent use of sound management
393534 -         practice requires faith to overcome short-term allure of feel
393535 -         good management. ref SDS 4 4803
393537 -          ..
393538 -         On 000411 open source business model devalued by stock market.
393539 -         ref SDS 34 6935
393541 -          ..
393542 -         On 000920 explained poor management that plagues software
393543 -         development, also, prevents people from discovering the secret
393544 -         of KM, because the desire to expedite, i.e., save time and
393545 -         money, causes people to avoid sound management practice by
393546 -         reducing front-end investment for planning. ref DIP 1 006P
393548 -          ..
393549 -         On 001017 recommended sound management practices for DKR
393550 -         project at SRI, ref SDS 63 XJ7L, which project audits can help
393551 -         ensure. ref SDS 63 W66J  Semiotics reviewed on 000713 explain
393552 -         KM from academic perspective. ref SDS 48 4078
393553 -         ..
393554 -         On 001028 Linux cited as successful open source business
393555 -         model for DKR project. ref SDS 70 RH3L
393556 -
393558 -    ..
393559 -   Example of Poor and Good Requirements...
393560 -
393561 -      Bad requirements are vague, wishy-washy, or too broad: "This
393562 -      software will allow the user to do his job."
393563 -
393564 -      Good requirements are specific and fairly atomic: "This software
393565 -      must allow the user to pass information x to system y in format d
393566 -      via the network, and this transfer must happen in real or
393567 -      near-real time." (Not perfect, but you get the idea.),
393568 -      ref OF 6 4I6H
393569 -
393571 -    ..
393572 -   Users Control Requirements
393573 -
393574 -      ...gathering requirements means talking to your users.  They are
393575 -      not programmers or administrators, but simply folks using the
393576 -      software to get a job done.  These folks usually know a lot more
393577 -      about their needs than you do, so it is important to get their
393578 -      input. This give-and-take process can be difficult in OSS
393579 -      projects (your users might be spread out all over the globe!),
393580 -      which is why it's important to set up mailing-lists, message
393581 -      boards, or web forums to collect input. ref OF 6 8L6O
393582 -
393583 -         User centered engineering is promoted by Landauer, on 950710.
393584 -         ref SDS 13 3375 and ref SDS 13 6403 Similarly empathic design on
393585 -         940508, ref SDS 8 6930, and Human Centered Design on 940510,
393586 -         all make same point. ref SDS 9 3850
393588 -          ..
393589 -         KM Requirements to Augment Intelligence - Generic
393590 -
393591 -         On 000920 KM seems like a good product, ref DIP 1 007H, to
393592 -         improve ability to think, remember and communicate.
393593 -         ref SDS 53 2V5F  Since everybody is a "user," a computer
393594 -         programmer feels personal experience provides a design model,
393595 -         because cognitive functioning is the same for everybody.  But,
393596 -         the design is confoundedly complex and subtle in requiring
393597 -         something simple that helps a lot of people in common, set out
393598 -         in the letter to Mary Keeler on 000725, rather than helping a
393599 -         few people do a specialized task, as occurs in preparing
393600 -         requirements described in the article.
393602 -          ..
393603 -         KM requires tools, skills and leadership. ref OF 3 6369
393604 -         ..
393605 -         The dilemma is that internal cognitive strength is aided
393606 -         by doing a critical mass of detailed, tedious administrative
393607 -         tasks, which everyone does innately with different emphasis,
393608 -         explained on 921205. ref SDS 4 6013 and in POIMS. ref OF 1
393609 -         E29S
393611 -          ..
393612 -         Limited time prevents people from performing KM. ref OF 3
393613 -         0050, and biology drives people to rely on impulse rather than
393614 -         intelligence. ref OF 3 5653
393616 -          ..
393617 -         Everyone giving these tasks different emphasis, results in
393618 -         people feeling they can start writing code, before thinking
393619 -         through the mix of features, and, most importantly, the
393620 -         integration of features.
393621 -         ..
393622 -         Ideally, these features can be specified, and people can
393623 -         compete to produce the best features, so long as features are
393624 -         adequately integrated.
393626 -    ..
393627 -   Design Follows Requirements
393628 -
393629 -      After requirements are prepared the next step is to produce a
393630 -      top-level design, before starting to write code!  Prepare a
393631 -      schematic flowchart, box-diagram, or a few descriptive paragraphs
393632 -      -- which boils down the essential functions of your program.
393633 -      Identify inputs, outputs, and the main processing modules.  This
393634 -      reveals problems like bottlenecks and missing elements up front.
393635 -      ref OF 6 YS4M
393637 -       ..
393638 -      For larger projects, follow the top-level design with a detailed
393639 -      design for each module in your software. It serves the same
393640 -      function as the top-level design, but it helps to modularize the
393641 -      software and make the flow of data more efficient. ref OF 6 JV5K
393642 -
393643 -
393645 -    ..
393646 -   Specifications for Functions
393647 -
393648 -      Turn the design into functional specifications for writing code,
393649 -      a software blueprint.  These documents are so critically
393650 -      important to any of non-trivial software that it boggles the mind
393651 -      that so few Linux people use them.  "Seat of the pants"
393652 -      programming may be fine for one-offs and learning exercises, but
393653 -      if you're at all concerned with longevity and maintainability,
393654 -      functional specifications are absolutely essential. ref OF 6 616F
393656 -       ..
393657 -      Functional specifications are not code. They are descriptions of
393658 -      code, with perhaps some difficult processing in pseudocode. It is
393659 -      the job of the programmer to turn the functional specification
393660 -      into code. ref OF 6 I16N
393661 -
393663 -    ..
393664 -   Managing the Team - Avoid Strategic Dissonance Using SDS
393665 -
393666 -       6 team building ideas are provided, which reflect sound practice
393667 -       for projects of any kind. ref OF 6 198F
393668 -       ..
393669 -       Author says work has to be done regardless of whether work
393670 -       is being done for fun. ref OF 6 FX6F
393671 -
393672 -           On 980307 Andy Grove noted executives and pundits call for
393673 -           good practices but fail to perform; he calls it strategic
393674 -           dissonance, which occurs because good management brings
393675 -           higher deferred rewards, and people are anxious to save time
393676 -           at the moment by taking short cuts. ref SDS 22 5517
393678 -            ..
393679 -           On 000831 fun motivates open source development. ref SDS 52
393680 -           2G7I
393682 -            ..
393683 -           On 001012 open source engineers do what they want and
393684 -           synergy produces useful results. ref SDS 61 PT5M
393685 -           ..
393686 -           On 001017 recommended that SRI plan scope of program
393687 -           and project manager roles on OHS project. ref SDS 63 B4S7
393689 -            ..
393690 -           On 950705 IT executive reported experience showing that
393691 -           project managers harass, lie, and cover up. ref SDS 12 2955
393692 -           This perspective was used to justify managing projects with
393693 -           "leaders" instead of managers. ref SDS 12 2165  The article
393694 -           today reports that managing projects is a full time job.
393695 -           ref OF 6 YW7H
393696 -
393698 -  ..
393699 -
393700 -   Testing Is Your Job
393701 -
393702 -       4 issues are presented to encourage adequate testing of software
393703 -       before release. ref OF 6 P54J  Debugging software is an element
393704 -       of Communication Metrics. ref OF 1 5795  On 950710 Landauer
393705 -       reviewed the benefits of testing software. ref SDS 13 3848
393706 -       ..
393707 -       Testing was reviewed again on 951221. ref SDS 18 0966
393708 -
393710 -    ..
393711 -   Documentation Hated and Essential
393712 -
393713 -       Author maintains that a project without documentation is almost
393714 -       guaranteed to fail. ref OF 6 VJ7H
393715 -
393716 -           [On 010908 laziness encourages using email that causes
393717 -           error, loss, conflict, crisis and calamity. ref SDS 77 UV4H
393719 -        ..
393720 -       Laziness or Ignorance, Fear, Denial?
393721 -
393722 -       Most programmers hate writing documentation.  There are lots of
393723 -       reasons for this, but in the end it boils down to either a lack
393724 -       of writing skills, laziness, or both. [People} just don't
393725 -       bother. ref OF 6 YA3F  Overwhelming tendendy for bad management.
393726 -       explained above. ref SDS 0 4O5K
393727 -
393728 -           Article on 951221 makes same point. ref SDS 18 0966
393730 -            ..
393731 -           On 000517 programmer explained benefits of documentation.
393732 -           ref SDS 41 2064
393734 -            ..
393735 -           On 000824 programmer hates archives. ref SDS 50 7O9I
393736 -           ..
393737 -           On 001028 programmers have not submitted comments
393738 -           linked to the OHS Launch Plan. ref SDS 68 OH9N
393740 -            ..
393741 -           Same issue makes Knowledge Management a secret; there is no
393742 -           customer for adding "intelligence to management, not because
393743 -           of laziness, but ignorance, fear and denial, explained on
393744 -           951011. ref SDS 15 IQ6G
393746 -            ..
393747 -           On 990524 engineers, managers and marketing cause pressure
393748 -           against documentation. ref SDS 23 6892
393750 -        ..
393751 -       Everyone needs documentation.  Maintainers - even those who are
393752 -       expert programmers - cannot dive into a massive pile of code
393753 -       without some higher-level document to help light the way.
393754 -       Project leads need documentation to track progress and determine
393755 -       how well the project is meeting the top-level design. It's
393756 -       almost a given that users will require documentation to install
393757 -       and use the program effectively. ref OF 6 JD4I
393758 -           ..
393759 -           How about analysis to solve problems and discover
393760 -           opportunities, i.e., to expedite the work, as Eric reported
393761 -           on...
393763 -        ..
393764 -       Documentation should be integrated into every step of the
393765 -       development process. ref OF 6 NF5M  At least three documents are
393766 -       essential...
393767 -
393768 -           1.  Developer's guide (to explain the API, naming
393769 -               conventions, toolkit issues, and so forth),
393771 -                ..
393772 -           2.  User's guide (a comprehensive guide for users on how to
393773 -               operate the software), and the
393775 -                ..
393776 -           3.  Requirements/Design document specified earlier.
393777 -       ..
393778 -       These documents should be kept with the code-tree in
393779 -       whatever change-control system you're using (most often CVS).
393780 -       ..
393781 -       Writing documentation isn't something that will magically
393782 -       get done at some later time.  It's not an intrusion in your
393783 -       development process ("I don't have time to write docs!" I can
393784 -       hear a programmer whine).  It is an integral and vital part of
393785 -       development, and should be treated as such. ref OF 6 XV7J
393786 -
393787 -           Aligns with Communication Metrics explained on 000926.
393788 -           ref SDS 57 004M
393789 -
393790 -
393791 -
393792 -
393793 -
393794 -
393795 -
393796 -
393797 -
393798 -
393799 -
393800 -
393801 -
393802 -
393803 -
393804 -
393805 -
393806 -
3939 -